Russellville's water utility expects to hear soon if it will receive an extension on deadlines for compliance with environmental regulations.

City Corp. entered into a consent administrative order (CAO) to address compliance issues with federal and state regulations. City Corp. was not able to meet deadlines set out in that order to resolve issues, but is currently in the process of implementing construction projects to come into compliance.

General Manager Steve Mallett told the City Corp. board during its December meeting on Tuesday that he spoke to Alan Anderson, City Corp.'s enforcement officer with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), who said ADEQ staff is reviewing a draft amendment that would extend the deadline to January 2016 for certain compliance issues.

The extended deadline would coincide with City Corp.'s current deadline to address nitrates and give them an additional year past their projected contract completion date, which would allow for time to work out any operational wrinkles with the new plant.

According to Mallett, Anderson said City Corp. would be able to review the draft amendment and discuss with ADEQ staff prior to a final order being issued.

"From what they're telling me, we'll have plenty of opportunity to meet with them," Mallett said.

There has not yet been any mention of a penalty as part of the proposed amendment, Mallett said.

In other business Tuesday, the board also approved a $30,000 contract with Garver Engineers to provide design and engineering work for a bypass system for the valve that feeds the water treatment plant.

Currently, the valve has no backup and a failure would have serious implications, blocking all water into the treatment plant. The valve was installed in 1996, staff said.

Preliminary construction cost estimates the cost of the valve bypass to be $166,000.